Technology for the Epilepsy World

This post is part of the Epilepsy Blog Relay™ which will run from November 1 through November 30. Follow along and add comments to posts that inspire you!

We have reached the half way mark of Epilepsy Awareness Month 2015! Crazy how fast time flies! Let me start off by stating, this post is no way an endorsement, medical advice, or anything of that sort. It is strictly my own opinion as always.

I was diagnosed with epilepsy as an infant back in the 1980’s. There were the basic EEGs and MRIs for testing. Still, to this day, these forms of testing are used to get a better understanding of the brain and to capture seizure activity. Growing up, I remember having pamphlets to flip through used to explain what my brain was actually doing when a seizure occurred. It’s sometimes tough on a kid trying to process it all. It was challenging and often overwhelming. Going into the technology field as an adult, obtaining multiple degrees and working as an IT Analyst (yes, WITH epilepsy) I discovered, there’s a whole new world out there to help us improve our quality of life living with epilepsy.

During the last few months, I’ve done tons of research and testing on numerous applications specifically geared towards Epilepsy. There’s plenty of mobile apps that can be found on both iOS and Android platforms so no one will be left out of the equation. I’ll hit on a few for you to narrow it down. Remember it’s only my opinion.

If you have young kids/teenagers and are wondering about a creative/interactive way to explain epilepsy to them then check out the Medikidz Explains Epilepsy app. This is actually in paperback form as well. I found that the mobile app version, available on iOS and Android, is a fun and interesting way to get the attention of the tech-savvy kids we have today. Graphics, sounds, apps, that’s literally what they want to see. My niece read the book and actually understood what I go through better than me telling her because it was more on her level as a teenager. Once we find that avenue to reach each generation we must grab it by the horns. Let’s face it, we are in a tech happy day and age where paper and pen just won’t cut it. Which brings me to my next app.

One of my favorite mobile apps to use is the Epilepsy Health Storylines application. Leslie Jamison of Self Care Catalysts gave us some amazing information about the app. Check out her write up here How Epilepsy Health Storylines is Making a Difference. I have been using it from the very beginning and love the usability of it. Here I can set up medication reminders, track seizures, get a dose of daily motivation and so much more. The newest feature that I was so excited about was the addition of being able to sync my Fitbit with the app. Keeping track of my physical activity such as heart rate and sleep patterns are critical when monitoring seizure activity outside of doctor visits. Having a centralized location of your information is great to have when it’s time to relay information to your neurologist. Download the app for free from the Apple Store, Google Play Store, or create an account via the web-based version today!

In addition, there’s a social media type app such as My Epilepsy Team. Here you can setup your profile and join a community of people living with epilepsy just like you. Honestly, I am not very active on this site but I do pop in every so often to share some motivation or just to say hi on the message boards. If you are looking to connect with others then this may be something you want to try.

I am currently testing the EpiWatch application from Johns Hopkins University. This particular app connects with the Apple Watch which makes it only available for iOS devices. I’ll have more information regarding this in the near future. I’m so excited about all of the things that are still on the rise for the Epilepsy community. My worlds are colliding, Epilepsy and Tech/Innovation, and I feel like I’m in overdrive wanting to grab it all! Take this journey with me and let’s show the world that just because we have seizures, it will never stop us from advancing in today’s modern world!